Gov. Paul LePage said this week that he plans to personally review and choose conservation and public easement projects before funding them with voter-approved bonds.

His announcement has been met with dismay by land trusts and private landowners uncertain what criteria LePage plans to use in judging projects that have already received approval by a state board.

West Gosling Island in Harpswell is one of several sites the Maine Coast Heritage Trust has worked to protect. The organization's president says Gov. Paul LePage's plan to personally choose which conservation and public easement projects get state funding is concerning. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Press Herald file

LePage’s remarks are the latest twist in an increasingly political dispute in which his administration has already acknowledged that the governor is withholding $11.5 million for Land for Maine’s Future projects as a bargaining chip to advance his plan to increase timber harvesting on state-owned lands to pay for residential energy-efficiency programs. Both tactics could have implications for dozens of land conservation projects across the state. It also raises questions about the future of LMF, a 28-year-old program designed to preserve public access to hunting, fishing and recreational areas that would be closed without public funding.

LePage addressed those concerns during a public budget meeting Wednesday hosted by local legislators in Cumberland. He reiterated that his decision to withhold bonds approved by voters in 2010 and 2012 was designed to pressure lawmakers and conservation groups to support his plan to increase annual harvesting on state-owned lands from 141,500 cords to 180,000 cords and to divert about $5 million in harvesting revenue to home-heating programs

“I’m absolutely willing to sell those bonds, but let’s help the poor along the way,” he said.

He then said he would personally evaluate the conservation projects to see which were worthy of funding.

“I’m going to look at them one by one,” he said. “Some will make it, some won’t.”

The LePage administration did not respond to requests to clarify what criteria the governor plans to use.

36 PROJECTS ALREADY VETTED

Regardless of the governor’s process, Tim Glidden, the former director of the LMF program, said the governor’s interference is unnecessary and unprecedented.

The projects, 36 in all, have already been vetted and approved by the LMF board, which consists almost entirely of the governor’s appointees, as well as three members of his Cabinet.

Glidden, now the president of the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, an organization with LMF projects in the pipeline, said LePage’s declaration is concerning.

“It’s a very comprehensive and thorough process,” he said. “All the considerations are right there on the table. … There shouldn’t be some other behind-the-curtain process. The fact that these questions are being raised – I like this project, I don’t like that one – is deeply troubling.”

Also, Glidden said, introducing a new, ambiguous and opaque set of standards to qualify for LMF funding creates uncertainty for landowners and runs counter to the program’s public procedure for evaluating projects.

That process can be exhaustive, according to a 149-page guidebook for LMF applicants. Not only do most projects have to satisfy the LMF mission of creating public access, participants are required to demonstrate that they have the financial capacity to match the public investment. Glidden said qualifying for funding is a lot like a business transaction and includes detailed financing and property appraisal data.

Projects are vetted for months, sometimes years, before receiving final approval by the LMF board.

What additional scrutiny LePage plans to bring is unclear, but some worry that his decisions will be subject to his personal preference rather than the intent of the LMF law.

“The broader question is are we a government of laws, or are we a government of an individual?” Glidden said. “There are laws that describe this process. Nobody has said those laws have not been followed.”

SOME FUNDS DUE TO EXPIRE

Meanwhile, the future of the LMF projects in the pipeline is murky.

LMF’s $2.2 million cash reserves can fund only some of the projects already approved by the board. The others are now in jeopardy. Also, the $6.47 million that voters approved in 2010 will expire if LePage doesn’t authorize them before the end of the year.

In some instances, landowners who have secured financing to complete an LMF project will have to consider taking out bridge loans while waiting for the governor to authorize the bonds. Some may be unwilling to do so.

Glidden said that’s because many landowners were in an identical position in 2013. Two years ago, LePage promised to release all state bonds, including many of the LMF money currently on hold, if the Legislature ratified his plan to pay back Maine hospitals for Medicaid debt. Lawmakers complied, and now LePage is leveraging the LMF bonds for a different policy initiative.

“Most of the money he is now holding up is exactly the same money that he held up once before,” Glidden said.

Established in 1987, the Land for Maine’s Future program has helped conserve more than 500,000 acres throughout the state. The program is popular with conservationists, hunting and fishing groups, and private landowners because it keeps land in private hands – and therefore on the tax rolls – but uses conservation easements to guarantee public access for hunting, fishing, hiking and other outdoor recreation.

Roughly 315,000 of the 500,000 acres were working forests, farmland and commercial waterfront.

Sarah Demers, the current LMF director, told the Press Herald last week that program staff will continue to accept and evaluate funding requests.

During a contentious LMF board meeting last week, several leaders of conservation groups said they may have to try to renegotiate closing dates with landowners. Others expressed concerns about having to go back to donors who supported a project in part because it was part of the popular LMF program.

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Mark Usinger

As bad as things might seem right now, we can be sure they will get much worse with this governor, who is clearly out of control.

5thgenme

Time for a protest/impeachment rally in front of the Blaine House. everyone bring a jar of vasoline to leave for the gov

Thomas Mickey Creeley

I’m afraid, at this point, LePage will only respond to political force (as opposed to appeals to standards of decency, etc.). But how to muster and leverage that force quickly?

bx4fpd

So the Governor will transform a process overseen by respected professionals and free of political influence into one dependent on his personal pique? What a way to run a state.

Jason Mayo

Would the people who voted for LePage please take him to a tropic isle and let the rest of us try to put this state back on a rational path?

TS13

Why ruin a perfectly good tropical island?

BonBon Pansy

Short sighted indeed.

NJHugh

We have a similar situation here in NJ w/ our LePage clone Christie: hundreds of millions in antipollution fines & judgements diverted to the General Fund instead of going to clean up and restore Public Trust waterways, wetlands and public access to them. It’s just utterly WRONG to politicize (or use for political gain) programs that are by their very nature NONpolitical and beneficial to ALL.

Jordan Kratz

ARe you ignorant rural people happy at your Master-King Man yet ? Maybe some of you might actually grow some brain cells and actually see the damage you have done to our beautiful State.
Soon he will be raping your Woods………………you wanted him so now you can live with him.
You reap what you sow !

Ed Lorusso

NOT TO BE TRUSTED..

CountyBorn

The LMF board primarily designed by LaPage obviously does not have his utmost faith to carry out his agenda. This move combined with his attempt to quietly have the commissioner of forestry also named the commissioner of parks and public lands, refusal to release the LMF bonds until increase of timber harvest are approved and his will to not recognize the good forestry practices utilize for decades by the public lands board only signals one thing.
His idea to significantly increase the timber harvest on public lands has little support and cannot stand on its own merits.
I have to say that in my opinion someone who has to resort to coercion, shady back room deals and fails to acknowledge practices for the public well being is not a person we should have placed our faith in to run our state.

ubi51

as the governor demonstrated in his first term.

Thomas Mickey Creeley

As has already been noted by others, LePage’s regular use of coercion to accomplish his goals (withholding money from the Human Rights Commission, forcing the resignation of the president of the community college system, delaying these LMF bonds, etc.) is deeply troubling. Employing secret criteria to make the final decision on projects that have already been extensively vetted (by LePage appointees, no less) and publicly approved is a slippery slope. I certainly don’t believe Democrats have been innocent of backroom deal-making, but LePage’s unilateralism, accomplished by the tactics of might–of how a bully operates–is unprecedented in recent Maine history.

Kobukvolbane

I agree. I find it kind of scary, truthfully. You never know who is going to find themselves on the wrong side of the governor. You have to really be ready for a slog if you aren’t willing to roll over and quit.

Lauren Sterling

Portland is seeing the backlash of resistance to the LePage policies at every turn. It is a scary time to be an organization working with and on behalf of low-income children, youth and families in Maine.

unclejunebug

Maine voters are reaping what they have sewn!
The Timber Harvesting Industry has some of the lowest paying amd most dangerous jobs in America.
Maine in particular has a very treacherous road system that was never desgined to safely handle large lumber trucks.
Le Page used to manage a tiny chain of junk stores, it appears he is “Mardenizing” the entire state.
Where is LePages plan to improve Maine Road Safety to address the increased lumber truck traffic? No such plan exixts because your Gov. is too narrow-minded!

dward

Could we have a less stand-up guy in the Blaine House?

axion56

I’m no political expert , but I don’t understand how LePage can ” personally decide which land deals Maine will fund ” ?? Don’t these need approval from voters , Maine House or Senate ( Whomever ) and not just by our wonderful Gov’n ?? Even if it is
” legal ” , it certainly isn’t ” moral ” . Seems like we should get a voice .

Kobukvolbane

You didn’t look at your ballot carefully. You weren’t voting for Governor, you were voting for “The Decider.” He decides. You have no voice.

axion56

Not sure I exactly understand your comment ?? … Please explain . I stated I’m no political expert , I’m just talking common sense . How did I vote for ” The Decider ” ?? Shouldn’t we , as residents have some say ?? I feel like the state is being run by a Czar , that obviously I have never voted for .

Margi Snyder

axion56, you are talking common sense, be reassured. I would have asked the same questions, but you did first! We should have a say , and when we vote, the vote should stand and approvals should be carried out. After reading what a few others are saying, I am sure that we are not alone… I want to know what we can do to stop his behavior…

axion56

Margi Snyder , thanks for your comment ! Reassures me that someone understood my comment and I wasn’t totally ignorant , at least common sense wise . I’m not into a lot of drawn out political BS , but I do feel I should be able to express my opinion .” Stop his behavior ” ?? Good luck !! Hopefully getting others involved is the only way .

DefNotADem

If you take a look the legal process for bonding you will find that after the voters approve bonds it is the duty of the Governor to DECIDE whether to issue the bonds.

Christopher White

Assuming Stephen King DOES make Gov. LePage a villian in some future book, Mr. King will need to go very far into his brand of ‘speculative fiction’ to beat the non-fiction, ‘you can’t make this sh*t up’, real world antics of our Supreme Leader.

Kobukvolbane

What far left? There is no far left. There are the corporations who are buying America up as fast as they can. Then there’s us.

notspot

After watching the video of Governor LePage’s address in Cumberland the other day, i would not trust this man to be my goveror.

notspot

This man is a fool. The question is…can we survive Governor LePage’s term?

bapple

What is the process to have a voter referendum with the goal of having all voter bonds being released without governor signature? Along with this all legislative appropriations? Need to have the majority rule returned, and take this out of one persons Whimss and political manipulation

ska38

And there you have it folks. Your vote means nothing to Gov. Lepage. He is the only one who can decide if your vote will count. Thank you rural Maine, I hope his tax plan passes because it will screw you. Enjoy.

Bill

We will…because we know better! We have the land already…portland doesnt! Frolic on your paved bike paths and keep out of our woods!

Sylvia Spear

While I don’t wish bad things to happen to people, I do wish that our Gov. would keep his hand off the decisions of the voters of Maine. He has no right to over-rule our vote on this matter. He is a pompous jerk!

resilient_1

So, der Fuhrer LePage has decided that the voters’ will is irrelevant when he has his final solution to implement.
LePage is a waste of skin.

DefNotADem

STATE BONDING PROCESS

GO bonds require 2/3 vote of both Houses of the Legislature and a majority of voters.*

Once approved, they become Authorized but Unissued GO bonds (AUB).

Governor chooses projects that will move forward.

Treasurer asks how much cash is needed in each Quarter until the final bond sale.

Treasurer transfers funds to specific bond projects/accounts as requested by quarter. Short-term funding starts bond projects until most funds will be spent.

Treasurer prepares a timeline/schedule for issuing the bonds, usually near the end of the State fiscal year June 30th. Bonds are not sold, funds are not borrowed until needed.

Treasurer plans for consolidation of bond project debt into one GO bond package for tax-exempt, one for taxable projects.

Treasurer engages rating agencies to rate the GO bonds.

A Preliminary Official Statement containing 200 pages or more of State financial information is drafted and revised by those with specific knowledge of areas such as Financial Management, Budget, Revenues, Expenditures.

An annual Information Statement for current bond holders is prepared annually before the end of the State fiscal year on June 30th if no bonds are sold.**